Patents Examined by William Briggs
  • Patent number: 6568890
    Abstract: An inside broaching machine having an upper pressure cylinder and a lower drawing cylinder that can be displaced in a machine rack. A machine table with receiving means, receives work pieces in parallel, and the broaching tools extending through the machine table each can be locked on the pressure carriage and the drawing carriage in tool holders. The machine exerts pressure and tensile force in the course of the broaching operation. The broaching tools are held clamped on the pressure carriage and the drawing carriage in radially clamping tool holders through the broaching operation. The two carriages are coupled in a force-locked manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Inventor: Lothar Gierth
  • Patent number: 6569071
    Abstract: A reconfigurable multi-spindle apparatus for use with a machining device in a plurality of configurations across part families. In one embodiment, the reconfigurable multi-spindle apparatus may include at least two spindle head modules, a mechanism for transmitting power between the spindle head modules, and a mechanism for reconfigurably connecting the spindle head modules such that the multi-spindle apparatus is reconfigured from a first configuration to a second configuration across part families. An embodiment of a spindle head module may include two tool holders and a mechanism for adjusting the distance between the tool holders such that the multi-spindle apparatus is reconfigured within a part family.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Yoram Koren, Yong-Mo Moon, Sridhar Kota
  • Patent number: 6568055
    Abstract: An arbor clamping apparatus providing a steady way for clamping boring arbor and improves structure rigidity and boring accuracy for boring and milling machines. The milling arbor of the present invention is designed and characterized by two steps spindles and includes the first step spindle used mainly to clamp a boring arbor and to hold large cutting tools and fixtures, and the second step spindle designed principally to support and contain the boring arbor. With the first step spindle a clamping mechanism is established and includes a hydraulic cylinder, a piston and movable wedges. Hydraulic force is applied through the action of the piston to drive the wedges to move between the boring and milling arbors and hence the clamping for a boring arbor is achieved through the approaching action of the wedges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Kou-Yu Tang, Lei-Yi Chen, Wen-Rey Wang
  • Patent number: 6569070
    Abstract: A system for changing a tool head (24) carried by a robot (20) includes a locking mechanism (23) having a keyhole-shaped slot (37) therein, and a lock key assembly (25) having a key (65). Depression of a button (52) rotates a cam arm (57) to extend the key (65) outwardly where it can be received in the larger opening (38) of the slot (37). Depression of the button (35) of the locking mechanism (23) moves the slot (37) such that the neck (68) of the key (65) is received in the smaller opening (39) of the slot (37). Release of the buttons (52, 35) then allows a spring (71) to retract the key (65) until its head (69) is received in a recess (40) of the locking mechanism (23) to attach the tool head (24) to the robot (20). The parts are detached by again depressing the button (52) which extends the key (65) to remove its head (69) from the recess (40) and then depressing a button (34) to move the slot (37) so that the key (65) is again in the larger opening (38) from where it may be removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Dallas Design and Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: James F. Harrington, Joseph A. Leaf
  • Patent number: 6568056
    Abstract: A rolling system has a plant producing a plurality of continuously advancing and parallel hot metal strands, a vertical-roll stand receiving the strands, and a horizontal-roll stand. The vertical-roll stand has an upstream row of vertical pairs of rolls and, immediately downstream therefrom in a movement direction of the strands, a downstream row of vertical pairs or rolls with nips offset laterally from the nips of the upstream row. Every other strand passes by the upstream roll pairs and through the nips of the downstream roll pairs and the remaining strands pass through the nips of the upstream roll pairs and by the downstream roll pairs. The horizontal-roll stand is aligned with the vertical-roll stand and has a pair of horizontal rolls forming a plurality of nips aligned in the direction with the vertical-roll stand nips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: SMS Demag Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Ferruccio Sclippa
  • Patent number: 6568886
    Abstract: Arrangement for a tool spindle equipped with a rotor (22) of an electric driving motor (32). It is distinguished in that the rotating part (1, 3) of the tool spindle is accommodated in a unit (4) that is stationary in relation to the rotating part, that the rotating part (1, 3) has at least one axial channel (12a, 12b or 12d) extending to the area for the rotor (22) for leading cooling fluid to the area (20a, 26), that the stationary unit (4) is provided with an inlet (16, 14 or 25) for leading cooling fluid to the channel (12a, 12b or 12d), that a gap sealing is arranged on either side of the inlet (16, 14, 25) between the stationary unit (4) and the rotating part (1, 3) and forms a dynamic bearing during the rotation of this, and that a channel is arranged to lead away the coolant fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Lind Finance & Development AB
    Inventor: Björn Lind
  • Patent number: 6565497
    Abstract: In a complex machining machine tool, a tool rest capable of attachably and detachably installing tool installing inserts thereon is provided, a plural number of virtual tools is set and registered concerning a predetermined at least one tool together with its indexing positional data in tool file, the tool data of the corresponding virtual tool is read out from the tool file on the basis of the machining instruction by the virtual tool stored in machining program, and the corresponding virtual tool is indexed on the tool rest on the basis of the indexing positional data, and then machining with the virtual tool is executed. At the time of machining, it is possible to continue machining with the same tool by only positional indexing without changing the tool. The work for changing tools can be extremely decreased even if machining contents are changed or it is necessary to change tools by tool exhaustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Yamazaki Mazak Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsunehiko Yamazaki, Naoe Fukumura, Masayoshi Mizukado, Kazuhiro Kikata, Sadami Miyazaki, Koichi Maki
  • Patent number: 6564442
    Abstract: A machine tool for processing sheet metal workpieces which has a bending station and a joining station between which the workpiece is moved. The bending station has a positioning stop for the positioning of the workpiece relative to the bending tools, and the stop is movable in controlled fashion by a motorized drive unit. This drive unit also moves a laser welding head at the joining station to perform a welding operation on the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Trumpf GmbH + Co.
    Inventors: Friedrich Kilian, Hubert Wilbs
  • Patent number: 6557235
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a frame, a mobile platform and first and second linearly-actuated slides supported on a base connected to the frame. The first and second slides are movable along a line defining a first axis. The apparatus may include a first driving connector movably coupled to the first slide and to the mobile platform, and a second driving connector movably coupled to the second slide and to the mobile platform, such that the mobile platform is displaceable within at least two degrees of freedom defined by linear motions along the first axis and a second axis, the second axis being coplanar and orthogonal to the first axis. An end effector may be also coupled to the mobile platform, the end effector having an axis aligned in a direction defined by the second axis. The end effector may comprise, for example, a tool or a gripper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Reuven R. Katz, Yoram Koren, François R. Pierrot, Zhe Li
  • Patent number: 6558090
    Abstract: A cordless router motor unit has a metal barrel and a plastic battery housing. A DC motor is housed inside of the barrel and drives an output shaft and up to a ½″ collet chuck. The battery housing holds a power switch and is fastened to the barrel. A battery is releasably attached to the battery housing through a sliding engagement in a direction normal to the longitudinal axis of the motor unit. When the battery is in its locked position relative to the battery housing, the center of gravity of the battery is balanced over the output shaft. The power switch is positioned radially from the DC motor and below the battery so that the router motor unit has a low center of gravity. The battery provides at least 18V and the maximum power output of the DC motor is at least ⅝ hp. The barrel can be sized to engage with a router base which also engages with a corded router motor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Porter-Cable/Delta
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Lagaly, James Andrew Patton, Julie Lynn Jones
  • Patent number: 6557227
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel cutting equipment, which automatically cuts hard plastic pipes produced from an extruder, having a table, an input V shape leading wheel, an input fixing clamp apparatus mechanism, a cutting mechanism, a bearing transmission mechanism, an output fixing clamp apparatus mechanism, a V shape leading plate, a leading wheel, a cuttings collector, and an electric control system, which are assembled to a novel means of a hard pipe cutting machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Nan Ya Plastics Corporation
    Inventor: Shin-Fa Chang
  • Patent number: 6557226
    Abstract: Apparatus for manufacturing a bone dowel includes a machine base with tracks on a surface thereof. Modules configured to slide in the tracks may include a module for a high speed rotary tool, a collet module, a vise module and a threading module. A vise module may include a base configured to slide in the tracks of the machine base, a frame configured to slide on the vise module base, two opposing vise jaws held within the frame, a spring device between the vise jaws, and a press that sits on top of the vise jaws within the frame. A bone dowel manufactured using the apparatus may include smoothed ends, a slot on one end, a canal running through the dowel perpendicular to the long axis, a hole running through the dowel along the long axis, and threads on the outer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Inventors: Michael E. Landry, Erik J. Wagner
  • Patent number: 6553874
    Abstract: An improved pipe or core trimmer device which is adapted for a variety of electro-motor driven mechanisms for removing extraneous work material from annular rolls of prefabricated materials. The core trimmer uses an internal sliding shaft having a long taper portion that advances a cutter block containing a single blade portion. The blade portion delivers a clean cut to an extraneous core of material which is subsequently discarded by an ejector mechanism integrally mounted within a wall portion of the core trimmer. The extraneous material is ejected in a direction parallel a central axis coincident with a drive shaft without the need for intermittent translation or back and forth motion as required by similar conventional cutters. The core trimmer includes a cutter block and two cam followers which hold even pressure on two sides of the shaft, opposite the cutting blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Inventor: Pat Burr
  • Patent number: 6550118
    Abstract: The apparatus and method includes a spindle portion which holds a cutting tool. The drill is initially moved forwardly of a pressure foot portion of the apparatus. The pressure foot portion is then moved forwardly along with the spindle and drill to clamp the mechanical assembly. A thrust control arrangement produces a reduction of the thrust on the tool holder such that as the assembly is being clamped, the tool initially contacts the workpiece and then remains stationary while the pressure foot moves forward to complete clamp-up. The positions of the tip of the tool and the surface of the workpiece are recorded and compensation is then made to the apex position of the spindle stroke, using a previously determined reference position of the tool relative to the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Electroimpact, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott O. Smith, Todd W. Rudberg
  • Patent number: 6547499
    Abstract: A prestressing device for a mechanical component of a mechanical finishing device has at least one rigid prestressing unit mounted in the mechanical component. This can provide a prestressing tension to the mechanical component. The bending and the deformation of the mechanical component can be prevented. The useful life of the mechanical finishing device is prolonged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Victor Taichung Machinery Works, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kelson Yen, Chen-Chien Hsu
  • Patent number: 6543111
    Abstract: An apparatus for refurbishing a belt, the latter having a width, a length and a degraded surface. The apparatus includes a frame, a grinding roller for selectively and uniformly removing a determined amount of the degraded surface along the belt width, and a positioning member to keep the belt in position during refurbishment, both the roller and the positioning member are mounted on the frame adjacent to each other. The grinding roller defines a helical grinding region thereof and a substantially complementary helical non-grinding region thereof. The positioning member has a belt abutment member spacedly positioned relative to the grinding roller to abuttingly retain the belt against the roller and a belt tensioning member to tension the belt in either side of the roller in the displacement direction of the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Inventor: Gérard Michaud
  • Patent number: 6543972
    Abstract: The invention relates to a key decode apparatus for helping to automatically extracting and measurement depths and spacings of cuts an object key and decodes when duplicating an original key. A key holder is provided forming shadow image of a key side view by positioning the original key vertically along its longitudinal axis with the key's flat sides in vertical plane, position an object key between video camera and luminescent light strip. The video camera gets the shadow image of the key side view and sends it to a computer that stores the shadow image in memory that may measure depths and spacings of key cuts and compares with known original key manufacturers information in memory, decodes and sends it to be displayed and can be used in cutting machine for duplicating the key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Inventor: William J Cimino
  • Patent number: 6540458
    Abstract: The invention relates to a machine-tool, especially a milling center, comprising a housing (2), a holder (54) for tools and/or workpieces, a coupling guide departing from the housing (2) to guide the holder (54) and a drive device departing from the housing (2) to move and fix the holder (54) guided by the coupling guide. The invention is characterized in that the coupling guide has first means for guiding the holder (54) on a first plane where it brushes over the surface and second means for pivoting the holder 54) on a second plane where it cuts the first plane, wherein the drive device has third means for moving and fixing the holder (54) guided by the coupling guide in an area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Heckert Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Achim Ponisch
  • Patent number: 6540473
    Abstract: A robot vehicle for hot-line job for transmission and distribution lines which comprises an insulating boom formed of an insulating material at a tip end stage of multiple stage booms, a base end of which is supported on an elevated work vehicle to be capable of swinging, pivoting up and down, and extending and contracting, and a frame provided on the tip end of the insulating boom, the frame mounting thereon double arm manipulators of multishaft construction for performing a distribution work, a slide device for sliding independently these right and left double arm manipulators front to rear, and lifting arms of multishaft construction having a function of lifting a heavy article, so as to allow an operator to perform remote control. An electric actuator is used for driving the double arm manipulators and the slide device, and hydraulic manipulators for driving the lifting arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki, Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Inokuchi, Toshihide Tomiyama, Yoshihiro Yurita, Shinji Murai, Yusuke Hirano, Shinji Harada, Kengo Tsuruta, Youichi Motomura, Kazutoshi Imai, Yoshiaki Haga, Yoshikatsu Nakamura, Yukio Hashiguchi, Mitsuhiro Matsuzaki, Hiromichi Yamada, Akihiko Mishima, Yoshinaga Maruyama, Kyoji Yano, Moriyuki Nakashima, Osamu Yamashita
  • Patent number: 6536315
    Abstract: The spinning system according to the present invention performs spinning properly, by driving a working tool in revolution, on an unrotatably supported member to be machined, and also performs other work such as cutting, etc. after the spinning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignees: Sango Co., Ltd., Nihon Spindle Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Yoshioka, Masakazu Tobimatsu